Beer dispensing apparatus with means for carbonating said beer with a mixture of co2 and air in definite ratio



J 1952 w. L. CHAPPLOW 2,580,516

BEER DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH MEANS FOR CARBONATING SAID BEER WITH A MIXTURE OF CO AND AIR IN DEFINITE RATIO Filed Feb. 21, 1948 ,4 u a a O H J K I i H #1 H C T T Y A :5 I

INVENTOR. MLL/AM LEWTHWA/TE CHAPPLOW A TT'K Patented Jan. I, 1952 OFFICE BEER DISPENSING APPARATUS WITH MEANS FOR CARBONATING SAID BEER WITH A MIXTURE OF William Lewthwaite Chapplow, Honiton, England,

assignor to Myron Hood, Cincinnati,.0hio' Application February21, 1948, Serial No. 10,025

In Great Britain, November 3, 1938 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires November 3, 1958 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing beer on draught, by subjecting the beer in the cask to the pressure of a mixture of carbon dioxide and air. The object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for this purpose.

According to the present invention the appa-v ratus comprises a supply of carbon dioxide, .a.

compressor (similar to those used for delivering beer by compressed air), a reservoir for the mix-- ture of CO2 and air, pressure-responsive means for automatically controlling the compressor in accordance with the pressure of the mixture in 3 the reservoir, and a valve regulating the supply" of carbon dioxide to the reservoir also controlled by the pressure-responsive means. The propor-I 1 tion of CO: to air is between 1 to 3 and 1 to by volume.

When the pressure in the reservoir falls below a certain value, for example, below 20 pounds per square inch, the pressure-responsive device} closes electric contacts and starts up the com pressor, and when the pressure rises above higher predetermined value, for example 50 pounds per square inch, it opens the contacts and shuts oil the compressor. I V A supply of carbon dioxide under pressure=;,is

provided, for example in a steel bottle, from which bottle the carbon dioxide issues through a pressure-reducing valve and an electrically: t. operated cut-oil valve into a mixing nozzle. The

mixing nozzle is directed into a pipe, which may drawn into the compressor. controlled cut-off valve for the carbon dioxide is connected to the electric supply to the coin;- pressor so that whenever the pressure-responsive U device switches on the compressor it simultari? ously opens the carbon dioxide valve and vice versa.

The rate at which carbon dioxide will issue from the mixing nozzle will depend on the pressure at which it is supplied thereto, and this is determined by the pressure-reducing valve;

The latter is adjustable so that the pressurebn its delivery side can be varied, thus varying the,

rate of flow of carbon dioxide, and hence the proportion of carbon dioxide in the mixture. -It

may be that as the pressure in the mixture res ervoir rises, the rate at which the compressor draws in air will vary slightly but even it the mixture is initially slightly weaker in carbon di;

002 AND an: IN

2 oxide and towards the end slightly richer, the apparatus may be adjusted so that as a whole the proportions of the charge pumped in are within the desired limits. The delivery pipe from the compressor into the mixture reservoir may,.moreover, be arranged so as to stir up the contents of the reservoir and ensure thorough mixture of the carbon dioxide and air.

A diagrammatic arrangement of an apparatus according to the present invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which a pressure-controlled compressor A, driven by an electric motor B, communicates with a reservoir C containing a mixture of compressed air and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is supplied under pressure from a steel bottle D and issues through a pressure reducing valve D and an electrically operated cut-ofi valve E into a mixing nozzle F. The mixing nozzle is directed into a pipe F in form similar to the choke tube of a carburetor, and this pipe leads to the intake of the compressor A so that carbon dioxide issuing from the nozzle F is thoroughly mixed with the air before being drawn into the compressor. The electrically-operated cut-off valve E is connected to the electric supply to the motor of the compressor and is controlled by a pressureresponsive device G with which the reservoir communicates.

The arrangement is such that when the mixture of carbon dioxide and air in the reservoir C falls below a certain value, say twenty pounds per square inch, the pressure-responsive device G closes the contacts G and so starts up the compressor motor B simultaneously opening the valve E. Similarly the valve E closes and the motor is cut out when the pressure in the reservoir C reaches some higher predetermined value, forexample fifty pounds per square inch.

The' rate at which carbon dioxide will issue from the mixing nozzle F will depend on the pressure at which it is supplied thereto, and this in turn is determined by the pressure-reducing valve D which is preferably adjustable. Hence the pressure on the delivery side of the valve D can be varied and the rate of flow of the carbon dioxide and consequently the proportion of carbondioxide in the mixture can be adjusted. The rate at which the compressor draws in air will vary slightly as the pressure in the mixture reservoir C rises, but if, the mixture is initially weaker in carbon dioxide, adjustments may be made so that, as a whole, the proportions of the charge pumped into the reservoir are within the desired limits. To ensure that the contents 499,743, in which a number of casks are provided with a gas reservoir and agas manifold connecting together the upper parts of the casks and also connecting them to the bottom of the reservoir so that beer can issue into thGlGSBIVOII' from casks of beer which are conditioning and can be driven back into a cask by supplying compressed air to the top of the reservoir as beer is delivered from that cask. H

In applying the present invention to such an arrangement, the reservoir C for the mixture .of carbon dioxide and airis connected through a reducing valve (3 to the top of three beer gas reservoirs I-L J and K, each having a non-return valve H J K and respectively connected to a set of casks H J K Each set of casks is connected to a separatedraw-off pipe having a tap and outlet faucet H J' K Suitable stopcocks are provided between the various casks, the beer gas reservoirs and the draw-ofi pipes.

The invention is of particular value where trade is rapid or where the beer contains but little natural gas, as in the case of rack beer or lager beer, the beer gas pressure must be supplemented to a considerable extent, and in this case the present invention offers substantial advantages even as comparedwith that of the prior specification.

,It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement described. Thus the carbon dioxide may be mixed with the air .on the delivery side of the compressor with a view to avoiding waste of. power in compressingthe carbon dioxide. On the other hand, the arrangementalready described with reference to the drawing has the advantagev that the bottle of carbon dioxide can be more completely emptied, since the pressure in it can be allowed to fall to atmospheric pressure.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and .in what manner the same is to be performed;

" 'Whatis claimed is:

' .1. Apparatus for dispensing beer on draught, comprising'a supply of carbon dioxide, a compressor, a'reservoir for a mixture of carbon dioxme and air, pressure-responsive means for auto- 'matically controlling the compressor in accordance with the pressure of the mixture in the reservoir for maintaining said pressure between selected pressure limits, a valve regulating the pressure of the supply of carbon dioxide to the reservoir, 'a cut-ofi" valve interposed between .said regulating valve and the reservoir also controlled by said pressure-responsive means and areducing valve for delivering the mixture of carbon dioxide and air at constant pressure from said reservoir. I

'2. Apparatus for dispensing beer on draught,

comprising a supply of carbon dioxide, .a pressure regulator therefor, an electrically-operated..compressor, a reservoir into which a mixture of .air and carbon dioxide is delivered by the compressor, a reducing valve for delivery of the mixture at constant pressure from the reservoir, a pressure-responsive device communicating with the reservoir. a cut-off valve in the pipe connecting the pressure adjusted supply of carbon dioxide ,to thereservoir controlledby the pressure-re- 'sponsive device,and a switch for, the compressor motor also controlled by said pressure-responsive device whereby the carbon dioxide and air are proportioned in predetermined relation for entry into the reservoir.

3. Apparatus for dispensing beer on draught as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carbon dioxide is mixed with the air on the intake side of the compressor.

4. Apparatusfor dispensing beer on draught as claimed in claim 2, in which the reservoir is connected to a plurality of casks each connected to a beer gas reservoir and leading to an outlet faucet.

5. Apparatus for dispensing beer on draught as claimed in claim 1, in which the mixture of air and carbon dioxideis so discharged through a nozzle within the reservoir that the contents of the latter'are stirred'up'. T

6. Apparatusfor dispensing beer on draught as claimed in claim 1 in which the proportion of carbon dioxide to'air is between 1 to Band 1 to loby'volume;

7. Apparatus of the class described comprising a beverage containerhaving a draughttap con nected thereto, a pressure fluid reservoiradapted for connection with said container, '2, pressure regulator for delivering the fluid at constant pressure from the reservoir to said container, an electrically operated air'pump, anselectric control switch for said-pump and responsive to selected pressures in the reservoinra mixing. valve connected to the intake of the air pump, a carbon dioxide supply means, a pressure regulating valve for said supply means, a tube leadingirom said valve, an electric valve in said tube, between said regulating-and mixing valves, and; circuit means connecting with the electrically operating. valve and said control-switch for simultaneously actuating said valve and said pump whereby the; reservoir is maintained constantly charged, witha. mixture of air and carbon dioxide of approximately predetermined portions and at pressures within predetermined pressure ranges.

8. In an apparatus for dispensing draught beer from the keg in unchangedcondition over an extended period of time the combination 'of :a pressure reservoir adapted for connection and constant communication with the keg, anelectrically operated air compressor, means responsive to the. pressurein the reservoir for controlling the compressor and automatically maintaining a predetermined range of dispensing pressure in the reservoirfassource of carbon dioxide, .a regulator valve therefor, a tube leading .from the regulator valve, an electrically controlled valve for the tube, a mixing valve connected :to theair intake of the compressor, saidtube entering the mixing valve and delivering an adjusted proportioned amount of carbon dioxide to the intake air during operation of the compressor, an electrical circuit to the electrically controlled valve energized and deenergized simultaneously with theair compressor under thecont'rol of themessure responsive means whereby the proportions of air-and carbon dioxide delivered to the reservoir 'and keg are maintained at a'constant and apressure regulator between the reservoir and the keg for maintaininga constant selected pressure of said proportioned mixture'of air and carbon dioxide'on the beer-in the keg. v 4

9. 'In combination a supply of carbon dioxide, an electrically operated compressor, areservo ir 5 a into which a mixture of air and carbon dioxid is delivered by the compressor, and output pressure regulator in the reservoir for delivering the mixture at a constant selected pressure, a mixing valve for the intake air of the compressor and said carbon dioxide, means for regulating the supply of carbon dioxide to the mixing valve for predetermining the proportion of carbon dioxide in relation to the air intake, pressure responsive means communicating with the reservoir, a valve controlling the supply or carbon dioxide to the mixing valve, and controlled by said pressure responsive means, and a switch for the compressor controlled simultaneously by said pressure responsive means.

WILLIAM LEWTHWAITE CHAPPLOW.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 520,722 Blake May 29, 1894 1,231,662 Storer July 3, 1917 1,496,510 Aikman June 3, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country. Date 9,436 Great Britain May 13, 1895 107,623 Germany Jan. 4, 1900 318,697 Great Britain Sept. 12, 1929 520,907 Great Britain May 7, 1940 

